Prepare, Get Ready, Build

I must be honest. I have been distracted lately. But the thing is, I haven't realised what I've been distracted by. I have not been as passionate about my dreams and my goals as I used to be. There is always something to be done. Chinese New Year means little to me, but it seems to provide the most life-changing thoughts. Maybe I am more traditional at heart than I realise. Chatting with Pat on MSN stirred up the dream again. The dream that would raise eyebrows and make people think that I am still... dreaming?

There must always be a passion to drive you towards a goal. Contentment in Christianity is despicable and selfish. I'm not talking about contentment of material things. Paul shared that when it comes to our needs, we're to be content. But Paul was never content to stay in one place for very long. He was never content to sit in an office in front of a computer. He went places. Because there were always needs. Paul had a passion that could not be taken from him. He remembered Jesus in 1 Timothy 6 11, 13 & 14. When you take out the connecting words in that passage. Paul says, "But as for you, O man of God... ...I charge you in the presence of God... ...and of Jesus Christ... ... to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach..."

Paul was not talking about the instructions of the letter to Timothy's congregation. Commandment is singular. The commandment Paul was referring to can be found in Mark 16:15-18. That is the commandment. That is Paul's vision, Jesus' instruction and God's heart.

Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
Proverbs 24:27

Am I prepared? Am I ready? Changes were put in place in 2008 so that in 2009 we can Look Out.
This is the year we prepare our work outside.
I want to go outside.

Travel Is Fatal...

I'm 26 years old and I want to travel. Not just to holiday or to see the world, but to give something of myself to people. To leave an imprint of Christ with the people I meet. I've visited a few countries in the first quarter century of my life, but being young and ignorant, there were so many things that I did not take note of.

I've been to Israel when I was in primary school, but at that age, I was more interested in practicing my football techniques with pebbles along the roads than learning about the rich history and culture of God's chosen people. I've been to New York but being there with my parents visiting relatives seemed a little boring to me. I was too preoccupied with disguising my inferiority complex with vices.

I've been to the United Kingdom, to Finland and Sweden, to France, and to Australia. To Myanmar, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand and China. And the issue that keeps resurfacing is how come I've not seen so much? Questions like "Why didn't you know about this?" and "How can you not be moved?", come to mind.

How can you even attempt to change the world when you know so little about it? I think Mother Teresa best describes it when she reminded us that "Jesus said love one another. He didn't say love the whole world."
I pray for opportunities.

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."
| Mark Twain |

Her Name Is Grace...

She cannot stay still. She always looks out. She looks at who She can help. She is beautiful and free. Her moves, eternally intimate, capture my fascination. Dancing lightly out of the reach of the proud and envious. She is close to those who never expected Her. I never did.

Meeting the flaws of those who search, covering the gaps, smoothing over the mistakes. Turning them into lessons, easy to swallow. She's been taught to inspire those She's helped to care for others. She wants to move you. She is the Gift and She wants you to see the Giver. Its time to stop seeing Her and I as separate. Maybe then We will begin to recognise those who have not received.

No longer about your past, the mistakes, the wrong choices... That is over.
No longer about your present, they are just decisions for you to make...
No longer about your future, the possibilities, the dreams. That is selfish.
There comes a point in time where it is no longer how you look with or without Her. You've been dealt with. You are loved, clean, whole. Your life is settled.

We think that we know Her. We think we've got Her figured out. We claim that She has transformed our lives. We testify that we've been moved. But if She's moved you, why are you standing still?

~~~ Where the streets have no name ~~~
I want to run
I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls
That hold me inside
I want to reach out
And touch the flame
Where the streets have no name

I want to feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust cloud disappear
Without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name

The city's aflood
And our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Trampled in dust
I'll show you a place
High on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building
Then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do
| U2 - Joshua Tree |